I Finally Found You
by tech-17
Summary: Four sweeps ago, you played a game. Four sweeps ago, the world as you knew it ended. Four sweeps ago, you died. Three sweeps ago, the remaining players in your game won. Three sweeps ago, the world reset .You came back to life. Two sweeps ago, you ascended to power. You became a naval captain. Two sweeps ago, you started buying slaves. One sweep ago, you went looking for him.
1. Chapter 1

_**Four sweeps ago, you played a game. Four sweeps ago, the world as you knew it ended. Four sweeps ago, you died.**_

_**Three sweeps ago, the remaining players in your game won. Three sweeps ago, the world reset. Three sweeps ago, you came back to life.**_

_**Two sweeps ago, you ascended to power. Two sweeps ago, you became a naval captain. Two sweeps ago, you started buying slaves.**_

_**One sweep ago, you found him. One sweep ago, you bought him. One sweep ago, he became your slave. One sweep ago, you set out on another naval mission.**_

_**Two days ago, you came home.**_

_**Today, you went looking for him.**_

You went looking for him, but of course, nothing is ever that easy. Eventually you got fed up and summoned him to your personal chambers.

"Kar?" you ask. The troll before you does not look like the Karkat Vantas you remember. Your Karkat was loud and vulgar and short and stocky. This troll is quiet, thin, and staring at the floor.

"Hello master," he mumbles. "Is there anything you wanted?"

"How did this happen to you?" you wonder out loud.

"I am a lowblood to serve you, you bought me," he replies mechanically.

"You know Kar," you muse, "I've changed. The hemospectrum is bullshit. Why should it matter what color we bleed?"

"That is not within reason at the moment," he replies dully.

"I don't want you to be a slave. I care about you." You trail off.

"Master, even if the hemospectrum didn't exist, I would still serve you."

"Because I bought you?"

"Yes. And because I was beaten into submission." He ducks his head as if expecting a blow."

"You were beaten? By who?"

"Highbloods. You don't need to know the backstory of your slaves. It's a waste of your time."

"I shoulda known. And I don't care if I need to know or not, I'd like to know your story."

"I was taken away from my Lusus and I always treated poorly by my previous masters. They beat me every time I even looked them in the eye. I wouldn't dare make a mistake with you. I will serve you, even if it kills me."

You are horrified. This is Karkat. You still remember the days when he hid his blood color, hoping it would keep him safe.

"Oh cod Kar, I'm not gonna hurt you! I promise!"

"I won't be rude to you, I wouldn't even dare," he says in response.

"Karkat, look at me," you demand as gently as you can.

He hesitates, but obediently looks up, eyes filled with fear.

You stare into his eyes, trying to make him understand. "I may have screwed up royally in the past, but I never truly forgot about you Kar, I bought you so I can help you. OK? Can you trust me?"

He stares at his feet again. "Yes, I can trust you master."

Hearing Karkat, your Karkat, call you master in that broken voice breaks your heart. "Don't all me master."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you to. I don't want to be your master, I want to be your friend."

"I'm not worthy to be your friend," he protests.

"WHAT?" you exclaim.

"I'm only worthy to be a servant, nothing higher."

You can't believe how much they brainwashed him.

"Karkat, no, you're worth so much more than that!"

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are!"

You're almost yelling at him by this point.

"Don't pity me!" he cries.

You're shocked. He remembers? You confessed your flushed feelings to him right after the Game reset Alternia.

"Why not? What if I want to pity you?"

"It will make you weak." There's almost no inflection in his voice. Karkat used to be so expressive; you can't believe what's happened to him.

"What are you talkin about?" you ask as calmly as you can.

"I'm saying you must beat me. I must be punished for making you pity me so."

"NO! Karkat, oh cod, Karkat!"

Without thinking, you reach out, dragging him into a hug. He's short enough that his hair brushes your chin. He stiffens, crying out, "NO! PLEASE!"

Realizing how upsetting that probably was, you release him. "Are you ok?"

"No. my master now pities me, I must be killed."

"NO!" you shout. Quieter you say, "I won't let that happen. Ever."

"No ma—" he stops for a moment. "I can't let you stop me, you pity me too much, I can't let you get weak."

"Karkat, shut up. I do pity you, and you can't change it. That doesn't me weak."

"If I die you can't pity me," he muses.

"If you die, that _will_ make me weak, because I will miss you." You're trying not to cry now.

"Then I will leave."

"NO!"

He starts crying, red tears dripping off his nose. You blink, trying to regain your composure. You did this to him.

"Karkat, why are you crying?"

"There is no reason." He swipes at his face, but the tear tracks stay."

"Why won't you just let me pity you?"

"Because!" he shouts. "Pity is a weakness!"

You wonder if pity is the reason he's in this situation, passed from master to master, enslaved, beaten.

"So what?" you protest. "I can take care of myself. Like it or not, I am near the top of the hemospectrum. Who is there to contradict me?"

"No, I will serve you now." He protests.

You don't really want to do this, but if it will work you will. "What if I order you to let me pity you?"

"Th-then I would let you." He mutters. He's scared, you can tell.

"Well then, I order you to let me pity you." It hurts, ordering him, but hopefully you won't have to for much longer.

He holds his chin up a little. "Yes sir."

"Karkat please, I don't want to be your master. I just want to be us. Karkat and Eridan, nothing more."

He swallows hard. "Alright… Eridan."

"Good. Can I have a hug?" you ask this time.

"Yes you may," he says a little more confidently.

You pull him into a tight hug, resting your chin on his head, between his horns.

"Thank you."

He closes his eyes and presses against you, his arms finally coming up around your back. You tighten your grip on him and speak into his hair.

"I missed you Kar. I always pitied you, then I lost you. Then I found you again. You were hurt, and it hurt me. But now you're here. You're safe. And I'm never letting you go."

"Yes." He mumbles into your chest."

"Yes." You repeat.

"Go get your stuff," you tell him. "You're moving in here with me."


	2. Chapter 2

"_Go get your stuff," you tell him. "You're moving in here with me."_

He protests, you expected him to. "I can't. I'm a slave. I'm a lowblood. It's not right. What will others think?"

You pull him against your chest. "Shhh. It's ok. Who cares what others think? They don't matter."

He sniffles against your chest. "OK."

He returns later with a bag that looks like it's about to fall apart. You raise an eyebrow in question.

"My things," he explains.

"That's it?"

"I'm a slave. We are issued two pairs of pants, one pair of shoes, three shirts, and a tunic."

You shake your head. "That won't do." You wave over another slave. "Damien, go get my seamstress please."

"You know his name?" Karkat asks incredulously.

"Of course. I know all my servants."

"You mean slaves."

"No, I mean servants. Damien has been in my service for over a sweep now. I pay him. I pay anyone who makes it past a sweep here."

Karkat's eyebrows go up.

"I told you I've changed." You hear a knock on the door. "Come in!"

Your personal seamstress lets herself into your room. "Good morning Eridan."

You smile. "Good morning dear. How are you? Did you receive the birthday gift I sent you?"

She smiles. "Yes, thank you. I needed more red fabric for a new skirt. What can I do for you today?"

You gesture to the corner, where Karkat is almost cowering. "He needs a new wardrobe." To him you say, "Karkat, come over here. Kanaya won't bite."

"Kanaya?" he asks in amazement.

"Greetings Karkat," she says. "I've missed you."

"What? How? Huh?"

You allow yourself to chuckle. "I've been collecting our game-members. Everyone is in either my employ of Feferi's. All are well provided for. You were the last one I needed to find."

Karkat ducks his head, old habits die hard after all. "Wow."

Kanaya fusses around him, measuring and poking him. Before she leaves, you say quietly to her, "Keep in mind, I don't intent to let him stay this skinny." She nods, and leaves to busy herself with her work.

You pull Karkat against you, enjoying the feeling of finally having him in your arms. 

Kanaya comes back later that day, saying, "I'm not finished, but he needs to wear _something._"

She fusses around him, making him stand on a stool and try on the garments she made. He refuses to change in front of either of you, and you obediently avert your eyes. He stands on the stool with his arms out and Kanaya beams. He looks good.

She made his clothing in red and silver. It complements the uniform you wear, yet doesn't give the impression that he has more status than he does. It's casual enough for daily wear, but impressive enough to gain him respect, and remind others that he's yours. His sign is on the silver buttons. He stares down at himself, biting his lip.

"Good job," you tell Kanaya. "I think, for starters, if you can make him something completely casual and something formal that will be good."

"I agree," Kanaya says. "Shall I go work on those now?"

"If you like, or tomorrow. On your way out, will you have Aradia come in her please? He needs a haircut."

She nods and leaves. Karkat still looks slightly stunned. You smile and pull him against you again.


End file.
